Starting at Halberd College feels unreal. Like, I've dreamed about this forever, and now I'm actually here… on a full scholarship. A sponsored scholarship, technically. By my agency.
Yeah, you heard me right. I'm a spy.
I've been with RedHalo since I was a kid. Not diapers and baby bottle kid, but like ten years old.
Training, missions, spy middle school, spy high school, the whole secret life package.
But I begged for this. I wanted one shot at something normal. Parties, dorm food, having real friends all the cliche college stuff I've only seen in movies.
Except, of course, RedHalo doesn't do normal. My latest assignment? Get close to the Vanelli brothers. Don't ask me why. I don't even know who they are yet, and honestly? I didn't care until the file landed in my hands.
Now I know way too much.
Favorite foods, allergies, hobbies….stuff I shouldn't care about but have to memorize while I'm juggling classes and pretending to be a regular freshman.
So here I am, standing at the gates of Halberd, staring at this picture perfect campus.
The kind of place that looks like it belongs in some a magazine. The stone buildings just feel right, fountains in the quad that make you feel poor instantly. Even the air smells like wealth. Students were everywhere.
Some of them looked straight out of a fashion magazine… crop tops, fancy cardigans, expensive sneakers, all effortless, like they didn't even try.
Others were already repping their majors with tote bags stuffed with books, AirPods in, coffee cups balanced in one hand like accessories.
The whole scene screamed…welcome to college, good luck surviving.
Meanwhile, I was dragging my life in two busted suitcases across the parking lot. The bigger one wobbled, and then of course the roller popped off.
"Stupid bag," I muttered, yanking it up and trying not to look like an idiot.
That's when I heard it. The sound of a motorbike. I turned just in time to see it swerve way too close, basically brushing past me by inches.
I froze.
The bike screeched to a stop a few feet ahead.
"The hell?" I whispered.
Was that on purpose?
The rider yanked off his helmet. Dark hair, sharp jawline, and the kind of glare that could kill.
I gasped. One of the vanelli brothers. The one they said people avoided staring into his eyes.
Now I see why.
"Hey!" He called out. "Are you blind, or are you trying to get yourself killed?" he snapped.
Great. First day on campus and I'd already pissed off the leather jacketed, motorbike riding, campus bad boy.
Cassien Vanelli.
"Are you kidding me?" I snapped. "You nearly ran me over!"
He swung one leg off the bike like he owned the whole parking lot. "Then maybe walk like you've got eyes, not like you're lost in a daydream."
"You swerved into me!"
He raised an eyebrow, dark eyes wide open. "If I swerved into you, you wouldn't be standing."
Oh, wow. So he was that guy.
Before I could say something that would definitely get me kicked off campus on Day One, he rode the motor away like he hadn't just nearly ended my life. No apology. No glance back. No offer to help with my half-destroyed suitcase.
I was still standing there, fuming with anger, when a voice behind me said, "Rough start?"
I turned, and stared.
The guy was tall. Broad shoulders under a clean white tee, honey-brown curly hair that matched his eyes.
He wore a navy-blue face mask so I couldn't really see much of his face but judging from the other parts I could see, he was perfectly built and looked effortlessly cool.
He had that casual kind of hot. Like he didn't need to try because the universe just handed it to him.
Before I could even process, he moved closer and lifted both suitcases. one in each hand like they were tiny pieces of plastic.
"Wow," I blurted.
He laughed, warm and low. "Just doing my good deed for the day."
I walked beside him, trying not to stare at how his biceps looked with every step he took. It was impossible not to notice.
"You know where the freshman dorms are?" I asked, watching him out of the corner of my eye.
"Of course," he said, grinning like he already knew everything.
I frowned. "Do I get a name or...?"
He just gave me a smile, reached the door of my building, set the suitcases down gently, and backed away.
"You're welcome," he said walking back slowly.
I watched him walk off, his back straight, confidence in every step.
Seriously?
Hot, charming and mysterious? Great.
As if this mission wasn't already complicated.